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A PLEA FOR CONTINUED EFFORT.* 



The labors, the liberality, and the prayers of the friends of 
African Colonization have not been in vain. The history of 
Liberia furnishes abundant cause for thanksgiving to God, and 
also abundant encouragement to constant and vigorous effort 
to add to the uumbers and resources of that important Com- 
monwealth. 

Of the ends sought to be attained by the establishment of a 
colony on the Western Coast of Africa, the three most impor- 
tant were — 

1. The elevation of those free colored men in the United 
States who were willing to emigrate. 

2. Increased facilities for introducing into Western Africa 
the Gospel with all its attendant blessings. 

3. The suppression of the slave trade. 

The attainment of these results was justly deemed, bj* the 
founders and the early friends of the American Colonization 
Society, to be a matter of the highest moment to the welfare 
of our own land, and one of untold blessings to Africa. 

By the overthrow of slavery in the United States, the West 
Indies, and in most of the South American States, the suppres- 
sion of the slave trade has been in a great measure, if not en- 
tirely, attained; and therefore it can no longer be urged as one 
of the strongest reasons for establishing, on the Western Coast 
of Africa, a free and independent government opposed to the 
existence of the slave trade, under every form of it. But the 
other reasons for continuing and completing this grand under- 
taking remain in nearly all their strength. For although con- 
siderable has been done for the elevation of the emigrants and 
first settlers in Liberia, and for the instruction of the barbarous 
tribes within the limits of her jurisdiction, this part of our work 
is far from heing complete. From the very necessity of the case, 
success in these matters must have been limited ; yet sufficient 
has already been accomplished to make ns know that our scheme 
is a feasible one, and that we shall not fail, if trusting in God 
we continue firm and resolute in the prosecution of our im> 
portant aims. 

♦An Address by Rev. John Maclean, D. D., of Princeton, New Jersey, delivered at a' 
meeting of the Connecticut Colonization Society, held at Hartford, June 1, 1869. 



Bj-4* 



2 A Plea for Continued Effort. 



We have here in the United States, at this very time, thou- 
sands, not to say hundreds of thousands, whose condition would 
he altered for the better, and whose elevation would be greatly 
promoted, were they to go to Liberia and engage in the work 
of strengthening the only Government in the world under 
which they can have all the rights, privileges, and social posi- 
tion of intelligent freemen. 

By the laws of the United States, the freedmen who remain 
here may have conferred upon them all the civil rights and 
privileges of citizens; but there is one thing which the laws 
cannot give them, viz, equality with the whites in social position. 
This is a matter in regard to which the laws are powerless. 
Yet this every generous and noble mind among them must ac- 
count a matter of far greater moment to themselves and their 
children than any mere civil rights or privileges. It may be 
said, perhaps truly said, that this repugnance on the part of 
the whites to social equality with the colored race has its foun- 
dation not so much in reason as in prejudice and feeling. Yet 
it is so general and so strong, more especially with those classes 
of the whites which approach nearest in social position to the 
colored race, that it will require generations to eradicate it. 
And in the meantime what is to become of the more intelligent 
of the colored people if they continue with us ? For party pur- 
poses, a few offices may be given them, and a few of the better 
educated and of the more refined among them, may possibly 
find access to the society of the refined and educated among 
the whites; but, in general, they will continue to occupy very 
subordinate positions. And where is the best place to train 
them for works of high and noble daring? I venture to affirm 
that the mere fact of their going abroad, and of their engaging 
in efforts to elevate themselves, and to prepare the way for the 
general elevation of their race, would be the most efficacious 
means of educating them, not merely by imparting to them 
new ideas, but mainly by enlarging and strengthening ■ their 
intellectual and moral powers. 

Let us suppose the problem to be solved to be this, viz : In 
what way can the intelligent and religious portion of the col- 
ored people in the United States best promote, and in the 
shortest time, the elevation of those of their own color? I 
have no hesitation in saying, that they can best do it by com- 
bining their efforts with those of the good men already in 
Liberia, to make that Commonwealth a power and a name 
among the nations of the earth. Let this be done. Let Liberia 



I 

A Plea for Continued Effort. 3 

^ once become the abode of a nation, versed in all the arts of 
- civilized life, trained in the doctrines of revealed truth, devoted 
"•'to agricultural and commercial pursuits, causing iis power to 
be felt at home and abroad, laboring to promote the happiness 
* of all subject to its control, or within the reach of its Influence. 
Wha1 would so effectually dissipate all prejudice againsi their 
race in our own land as the existence of an independent, intel- 
ligent, and powerful Commonwealth consisting of men of fch • 
colored race? The answer is obvious. Let us then encourage 
all who are disposed to go to Liberia to do so. and to aid them 
in going, provided they be persons of fair character at home. 
We shall do them a service, we shall do Africa a service, and 
we shall also render an important service to those who remain 
here. It is but a small number comparatively who can go — 
the great mass of the colored race must remain here for years, 
and, perhaps, for generations. 

There are those who regard themselves as statesmen and 
philanthropists, and who object to any of the negro race leaving 
this country for Liberia, on the ground that they are wanted 
here for laborers. But as mere cultivators of the soil, cannot 
those who go to Liberia render a service to the United States. 
by their fostering in Africa a traffic or commerce, which will 
yield to our country a more valuable return than if they had 
remained here and proved to be diligent cultivators of our own 
soil? Do those persons, who make the objection which we 
have just considered, have chiefly in view the good of the negro 
and the elevation of his race? oris it some other motive which 
prompts its utterance? 

It is very desirable, for the best interests of Liberia and for 
the complete accomplishment of the great work which seems 
to be allotted to her, in the orderings of Divine Providence, 
that the present relative proportion . between the native 
Africans and the American emigrants should be changed — and 
this can be done by sending more emigrants to Liberia, and in 
no other way. 

The influence of the Liberian Government upon the native 
tribes will be augmented just in proportion to the increased 
power of that Government, and this, within certain limits, will 
be in proportion to the number of emigrants, of a fair character, 
sent from the United States to Liberia. 

A thousand emigrants a year for a few years would add 
greatly to the strength of Liberia, as they could readily be ab- 
sorbed without becoming a disturbing element in the political 



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4 A Plea for Continued Effort. 011 932 553 5 

system; and, as the power of the Government increases, the 
number of emigrants might also be augmented, it', within the 
next ten years, ten or fifteen thousand emigrants, of the char- 
acter before mentioned, should become citizens of Liberia, an 
impulse would be given to Liberian energy thai would tell 
with tremendous power upon the surrounding tribes, and open 
the way for our Missionary Societies to extend their operations 
among the natives within the limits ofLiberia and the adja- 
cenl regions. 

Tlic more the natives sec and feel of the power which edu- 
cation Imparts to the body of the emigrants established on 
their shores, the more ready and the more desirous will they 

to receive Smong themselves those Who can teach them 

and their children. And for one I am prepared to bid "God 
speed" to all who think that they ought to do more than they 
are now doing for the furtherance of piety and of sound ele- 
mentary instruction among the citizens of Liberia and their 
children. Bui this alone will nol enable us to accomplish all 
the good at which the early friends of the American Coloniza- 
tion Society aimed. This is good and even necessary to the 
full attainment of om- aims; but of itself it is not and never can 
be sufficient. More of a foreign element is needed to give in- 
creased energy to the efforts which should he made for the 
elevation of both the emigrants and the natives. 

Can the*re be any doubt that, just in proportion to her in- 
crease in numbers and wealth, and knowledge and piety, the 
power of Liberia to elevate the natives will he augmented, and 
that the .Missionary Societies will he aided in their efforts to 
send the Gospel and civilization to the tribes whose territories 
are most readily approached through Liheria. It is not neces- 
sary that the Government should take a direct and an active 
agency in such missionary operations. Our own Govern- 
ment does nothing of this kind, yet who does not know that 
our increase in numbers and wealth hasenabled the Christians 
in the United States to send abroad hundreds of missionaries, 
and to support schools for the education of the heathen youth 
in foreign lands? And we may depend upon the Christian 
citizens of Liheria to do all in their power to send the (Iospel to 
all within their reach. Then let the friends of education and of 
missions help to strengthen the Government of Liberia, by aid- 
ing i" send to her shores all who are desirous to emigrate and 
to take up their abode in that land of refuge, provided they 
he person* of the right sort. 



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